Pacific Island Health Officers Association 

Closing the Gap, Pacific Islander Health • June/July 2000 

Dedicated to the health and well-be­ Strategic priorities for 2001 to 2005 •	 Controlling Hepatitis B and C, which ining of Pacific Island populations, cludes sentinel disease surveillance and rethe Pacific Island Health Officers Collaborative activities and projects will porting. 

Association (PIHOA) serves as the unifying be initiated with partners in the following: 

voice and credible authority on issues of re­ •	 Developing and planning for the health 

gional significance. That mission is attained •	 Environmental health workforce. 

through collaborative efforts in capacitybuilding, advocacy, and policy development, •	 Human resources development and man­ •	 Reviewing and analyzing medical referral 

to provide medical care, promote healthy agement costs. 

lifestyles, prevent disease and injury, and protect the environment. •	 Health information systems and manage­ •	 Publishing a health data matrix for the 

PIHOA was founded in 1986 in Ho­ ment Pacific Islands. 

nolulu, Hawai‘i, as the regional health association representing the interests of the Terri­ •	 Telemedicine and telehealth •	 Publishing an e-mail directory for the Patory of American Samoa, the Commonwealth cific Islands. 

of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Feder­ •	 Chronic, non-communicable diseases (diaated States of Micronesia, the Territory of betes, hypertension, heart disease, etc.) •	 Providing technical assistance to members 

Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and coordinating with Federal agencies 

and the Republic of Palau. •	 Selected communicable diseases (tuber­ involved in the Pacific Islands. 

PIHOA is a membership association and culosis and leprosy) 

has been incorporated as a non-profit organi­ •	 Supporting the Pacific maternal and child 

zation in the Commonwealth of the North­ Sample areas of past and current work health program coordinators’ meetings. 

ern Mariana Islands since 1987. The association is made up of the principal health offic­ •	 Developing a regional health policy. •	 Supporting regional oral health needs asers of the six Pacific countries and territories sessment. 

affiliated with the United States. •	 Capacity-building and strengthening Pacific Island health professional associations. •	 Supporting initiative for regional public 

health reference laboratory. 

•	 Supporting and utilizing telecommunication technology for improved medical •	 Supporting computer and epidemiologicare. cal training activities. 

For more information, contact: Dr. 

Stephen Karel, PIHOA Executive Office, 1890 

East West Road, Moore 427, School of Public 

Health, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, HI 

96822, (808) 956-6224, fax (808) 

9569512, e-mail: pihoa@hawaii.edu.

PIHOA Directors 

President, 

Joseph Villagomez 

Secretary of Health 

Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands 

Vice-President, Treasurer, 

Dr. Joseph Tufa Dr. Eliuel Pretrick 

Director of Health Secretary of Health, Education, and 

American Samoa Social Affairs 

Federated States of Micronesia 

Secretary, 

Hon. Masao Ueda Hon. Tadashi Lometo Dennis Rodriquez 

Minister of Health Minister of Health and Environment Director of Health 

Republic of Palau Republic of the Marshall Islands Guam 

Office of Minority Health Resource Center	 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services